


Fluxing it up

by Entomancy



Series: Gods and Monsters [4]
Category: The Yogscast
Genre: Flux Buddies, Gen, Magic Police
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-02
Updated: 2014-11-02
Packaged: 2018-02-23 19:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2553707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entomancy/pseuds/Entomancy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Magic Police attempt to apprehend their first proper suspect. It does not go as planned, in several ways.</p><p>(References to the Apprentice with Kim, and other parts of my Gods and Monsters series)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fluxing it up

-

_Our badges are our faces; everyone knows who we are._

_We're the Magic Police!_

_..._

_…right?_

-

"Shall we go and, uh, knock knock?"

Sjin glanced over at his partner, as they both eased themselves carefully down the flower-strewn hillside, impeded only slightly by the tangle of robes around their knees. Lalna grinned back and gestured down towards the little – suspicious – hut that nestled against the foot of the hill, with strange-moving smoke twisting out of the chimney.

"Careful," he replied, a slightly mocking edge to his tone. "She might be dangerous."[[MORE]]

Swirls of readied magic curled around his fingers as he waved, and Sjin matched the smile, trying to ignore the tiny twist of concern that had been coiling at the back of his mind. It had been building there since he had figured out _which_ of their possible suspects was in the little house below.

He'd seen the reports, of course; heard the testimony of the few villagers who had answered their questions, and there was no denying the risk here. Plus, he was quite familiar with the effects of flux-taint on the landscape now. The warped animals, twisted plants, and the strange, buzzing swarms that were so unfalteringly aggressive – and it was definitely getting _worse_.

A person, possessed by the same stuff? No way that was legal. No way was that safe.

"She could be – she's definitely dangerous," he replied, firmly, and he was _sure_ of that. There was… something about Nano, something he had a nagging feeling that he had forgotten. But the sense was little more than a wisp, dancing at the edge of his thoughts, and it slipped away as his attention waned. He'd remember, if it was something important, surely.

_Focus. We gotta get this right; show these dudes we mean business._

Lalna braced himself against the grass, practically vibrating with excitement and nerves as Sjin took aim over his head, and the immediacy of _now_ quickly banished any dream-edge thoughts. This was going to be their first _real_ bust, after all, and the element of surprise was important. The crackle of tamed power in his grasp was encouraging, and he unleashed the spell, accompanied by a nod of satisfaction – which bloomed into a grin, as the released power tore easily into the roof, accompanied by a sudden yelp from inside. The two wizards lunged forward, swinging themselves in through the suddenly opened-gap in a twin swirl of robes and official-shouting, and Sjin brought his primed hand up again.

He froze.

Sunlight poured in through the blasted-apart roof, overwhelming the soft firelight within, and the small figure inside had one hand held up, shading her eyes from the sudden brightness. He wasn't sure if it was the eyes that surprised him more, or the hand that covered them, but the Nano that was standing in front of them now looked _very_ different to the last time he had seen her.

At the farm. Of course at the farm; where else - ?

 _\- as dark eyes opened, suddenly so clear through the dust and flame, and he heard Sips' gasp, heavy with the same harsh horror that poured down over them both at the sight. The fear in his gut twisted hard, suddenly no longer_ **for** _the girl, but_ **about** _whatever was staring at them now. Dust whirled aside, several falling pieces of masonry blurring out of existence as they got too close, and Sjin just stared at the suddenly so-changed figure, snarling in the heart of the treacle-slowed detonation. Purple cracks snaked out across Nano's rage-twisted expression, and her eyes were too deep, too dark, and struck across with a betrayed fury._

_And she screamed his name -_

The half-memory broke, peeling away from his mind and taking any sense of what it had contained with it. Sjin shook his head, momentarily wrong-footed, as the moment vanished into irrelevance and he focused back on his earlier thought: Nano looked different from _at the farm._ Of course she did, with slime-shine fractals of Taint curling up her hands, and the grey-glaze of her right eye highlighted against the infected side of her face. She was staring at them, her mouth open in exclamation, but her free hand was already dropping towards the sword at her hip.

"She's got a weapon! Drop it!" Sjin snapped, taking refuge in the certainty of demand. He was echoed immediately by Lalna, and both of Nano's eyes widened even further as she stared at the blond wizard, raw shock etching itself onto her features.

" _Lalna?_ Hey, wait – _hey!_ " she exclaimed as Lalna jolted his hand forward sharply, muttering something, and the familiar sparks flared, twisting up a little bundle of etharically-charged air that leapt from his fingers. Nano yelped as the spell hit home, and Sjin couldn't avoid a tiny wince of sympathy as her limbs jerked hard, a sudden spasm that tore the sword from her hands and sent it skittering across the ground towards them, as she clutched automatically at her face.

"What's going on? Why is it dark? Where's my sword?"

Lalna lunged forward, readying the disarm again, and kicked the weapon back towards Sjin. He picked it up quickly. The bright-lacquer blade was much lighter than it should have been, and he was almost relieved. Magic. Clearly.

"I've got your sword," he snapped, trying to sound authoritative, but Nano wheeled round abruptly – finally distracted from the advancing Lalna – and her expression swapped very quickly back into anger.

" _Sjin_ ," she hissed. The purple patterns seemed to writhe against her skin, a peculiarly medusian movement, and she stabbed one accusatory finger out at him. "You're such a _scrub_! I hate you!"

"What's wrong with your _face?_ " he countered, a little childishly, and Nano gave a derisive snort.

"What's wrong with _your_ face?" she sneered back, half-making to move towards him. Lalna swung into her path, holding up his charged spell threateningly, and Nano froze again.

"Ergh," Lalna shoved the charged spell forwards and the girl jerked back, stumbling slightly as her wide gaze flicked between the two of them. "She's all… _sticky_."

"What, you're touching her face?" Sjin managed, batting at his own sudden nerves with a slightly-forced edge of laughter. "Th-that's harassment, Lalna."

" _Lalna?_ " Nano was gawking at him as she backed away, even as her shoulders hit the wall. "What – what're you doing? Hanging out with this – " there was another gesture, another accusatory jab of fingertip, and Sjin could swear that this time the purple patterns shifted with it, extending further out than her actual skin in a motion that made his eyes ache slightly to look at. "- this _scrub?_ "

She never had been very good at swearing. Lalna hesitated and a faint frown nipped at his brow.

"What? We're – I'm the Magic Police," he retorted, but Nano didn't seem to be listening. She looked him up and down sharply, assessing, and the questions came fast.

"Why're you wearing armour? Where's your lab coat?"

"You're _under arrest_ ," Lalna tried to cut in, but she didn't stop.

"You _hate_ Sjin! What are you doing – " she cut off suddenly and half-moved forwards, reaching up towards Lalna's face, only backing off again as he brought the charged spell up again, protectively. "…where's your flux gone?"

Lalna blinked.

"What?" He took a step back, shaking his head. "Sjin, I'm confused. Arrest her!"

He certainly looked unsettled. Sjin looked between the two of them, at Lalna's blunt confusion, and Nano's searching expression. He was _fairly_ sure they had never met before. There had been – there had been a few months, after Nano had left the farm; after -

_\- the wave of granite swept upwards, already grey-tone flesh going terribly solid as it passed, and Sjin was paralysed with the shock of it, as the fingers gripped in his own went so suddenly cold. Nano was staring, from Sips' ossified expression of surprise and back to her own outstretched hand, and the rage in her eyes died back._

_'No – no, wait, I – I didn't mean – ' she started, voice tight and high and considerably more human, but she cut off in a small gasp as her attention jerked upwards. Sjin was torn, paralysed by a horrible blend of fear and indecision. He didn't want to let go of Sips' stone-clad fingers, as if that would help; didn't want to turn away from the incongruously-terrifying sight of his former apprentice; but he was horribly aware of the swish of fabric above him where there should be nothing to make that sound, and of the guilty-shock on Nano's face. And a voice, a silken layer of threat in the air that sounded altogether too **amused…**_

_'Now that? Is interfering.'_

_Then the world was black and gold; and he was falling -_

Memory cracked and faded, then twisted back to the familiar, leaving nothing more than a thump of raising heartbeat in its wake. Sjin blinked and focused back on where the other two figures were staring at each other, in the centre of their own storm of sheer confusion.

He was fairly sure they'd never met before. There had been a few months after Nano had left the farm and he'd gone back to Sipsco for a while; before _that_ had fallen through in all the ways he didn't want to dwell on, and he'd returned, alone. It was possible that Lalna had met her then? Before the man had turned up on his farm, storm-soaked and with the mania of new ideas burning in his eyes – but he'd never mentioned it before. And he sure _looked_ confused.

 _Arrest her_.

Sjin blinked, trying to get his thoughts back into line, and nodded.

"Oh – yeah. Arrest her. Okay, wait – "

His head was aching, sharp points of pain that shifted strangely against his temples, and he shook himself again. Nano snorted.

"I haven't _done_ anything," she snapped. Sjin grasped for coherence. Right. Right, because they were the _law_ , right? They needed evidence.

"She's got a point," he conceded. Lalna gave an irritated noise in reply.

"Right, we need proof. You – " he pointed at Nano, and took a few steps back. "Stay there."

It shouldn't exactly be hard to find. Sjin glanced around at the contents of the little hut, and struck out for the reassuring shores of sarcasm.

"Oh, yeah. Looking around at the witch's cabin, for some proof she's a – witch?" The last word caught odd in his throat, and he frowned slightly. Lalna moved over to one of the heavy wooden chests that lined the walls.

"I haven't – " Nano started, angrily. She darted aside, and froze again as Sjin swung back into her path, trying to work out what she had been going for. " – done anything!" she finished, meeting his gaze with a sharp glare, which faltered briefly. "I mean, c'ept maybe…"

"Stay right where you _are_ ," Lalna snapped as he hauled at the clasps on one chest. Nano's attention flickered away from Sjin again, and when she spoke the confusion was back in her voice.

"Lalna, why are you _with_ this guy?" She half made to move towards him again and Sjin crowded back in on her, trying to be vaguely menacing, and stay out range of whatever the heck was happening with her hands. The patterns were definitely extending out into the air now, moving strangely, almost _exploring_.

"Oi you, you freeze," he ordered and tried to put some reassurance into his voice as he looked at Lalna's paused – puzzled – expression. "She's playing _mind games_ , Lalna." The word came out with particular vitriol, although he wasn't completely sure why, and Nano flinched. Lalna shrugged.

"…right. I'm looking around." He hauled the chest open – to an exclamation from Nano – and stopped, whistling under his breath. "Oh… wow, there's a _lot_ of magical stuff in here, Sjin." Something clattered as he hauled it out and tossed it over, skidding to a halt next to Sjin's foot, who jabbed an accusing finger down at the moulded metal.

"Article A. I'm – I'm gonna bag that."

Nano bared her teeth. Sjin wasn't sure if it was his imagination, or if the incisors on her right side were longer than the others, lacquered in flux-sheen.

"Don't look at my stuff," she hissed. "Sjin, you're such a _jerk_."

There was a sudden rattle of shoved-side components, then Lalna stopped. The moment of silence was oddly heavy and the little hut seemed suddenly to be darker, as if the shadows were weighing heavily against the air.

"…there's poppets in here, Sjin," he said quietly, and the _way_ he said it sent ice down Sjin's spine.

"Poppets? What's a poppet?" He wasn't sure he really wanted the answer, and Nano had gone quite pale. She was glaring at Lalna now.

"Leave those alone! I was – I've just been _experimenting_ ," there was an emphasis on the word, almost pleading, but Lalna didn't turn round, and wordlessly thrust a labelled bottle back towards them. Sjin blinked.

"Love potions? She's been _bewitching_ people?"

Bewitching. Changing someone's feelings – someone's _thoughts_. His stomach lurched as he looked back at Nano, who coloured under his attention.

"Hey – _no_. No. I made – I made that for valentine's day!" Pink tinged her cheeks as she spoke. Lalna glanced back and sneered. It was a particularly unpleasant expression, all the more so for the sudden way his face darkened.

"For _who?_ "

"That doesn't excuse – " Sjin started, but cut off with a _whuff_ of expelled air as Nano turned suddenly, barging her shoulder hard into his side as she lunged, near-bouncing off him and landing behind another low table. There was a _click_ and she leapt upright, but this time her hands weren't empty, and the long barrel of an-incongruously _technological_ shape swung into place across her shoulder. Sjin's heart skipped a beat.

"She's got a gun – she's got a _gun!_ " he shouted, backing away, as Nano took the chance to scale the broken-open wall, bracing herself against the stone as she swung the rocket-launcher back and forth between them. Lalna leapt back over the chest he'd been searching through, taking some refuge there, and Sjin saw sparks start to form at his palm again.

"Whoa – no – _freeze!_ " he shouted, but Nano just snarled back at him.

"No! I'm not freezing _at all_. Put my stuff back!"

"It's – it's okay," Sjin edged sideways slightly, hesitating as the gun swung back towards him, and tried to look authoritative. "We've got the evidence."

One of Nano's shoes slammed down on the wall in a stamp, hard enough to dislodge a small rain of stones and shift her balance, accompanied by a small noise of irritation. Lalna took the distraction moment to grab something out of the chest and brandish it, almost triumphantly.

"Scepter of Life _-_ draining? That sounds really evil."

" _Life draining?_ " Sjin forced some more calm into his voice. "That's – that's Article C…"

He might as well have slapped her. Nano's jaw dropped open again, and she goggled down at Lalna in blatant disbelief.

"Lalna… you were there when I got that! We got that from the dungeon!" her voice cracked, a little, but Lalna just shook his head, his lip curling.

"What are you _talking_ about -?" he started, but Nano made a strange sound, somewhere between a small scream and a growl, and suddenly little lights started flashing along the huge barrel of the weapon.

" _Run!_ " Sjin cut in, across the weird exchange, darting over to grab onto his partner's sleeve, and they both bolted for the door, Nano yelling after them. It wasn't _running away_ – of course – Sjin assured himself as they pelted out into the surrounding woodland, but anyone was allowed time to regroup. Reassess. Yeah. Round two, pending.

The forest seemed suddenly a lot more closed-in than it had before. Bizarre animals moved in the undergrowth – darting away from them, or staring with strange pupils – as the wizards hurried past, seeking a better defensive position. Lalna was muttering to himself and snapping his fingers impatiently as a spell charged, and Sjin could feel the presence of this place all around them, prickling at the hairs on his neck. It was _really_ magical here. But other than Nano's weird face, there didn't seem to be evidence of much flux – and that didn't make sense, did it? He caught a glimpse of carved stone through the trees, pillars set out in a regular pattern beneath dense branches, with the air moving oddly between them, and shivered.

What had they found?

_What have you got into, Nano? What have you done?_

" _Sjin!_ " Nano's angry tones echoed through the trees, the direction hard to judge – although she had to be behind them, surely? "Put my stuff back! Put it back, or I'm breaking out the big guns!"

"She's got a _bazooka_ ," Lalna muttered. "How much bigger a gun –?"

They rounded a particularly large tree, and suddenly the ground opened out in front of them, into some little beach-side farm. It would have been idyllic, if it hadn't been for the figure sat up on a tree branch on the other side of the clearing, brandishing a small shape down at them. Nano's pale eye was even wider than her normal one, and the grey of it seemed to be glowing slightly; like a ball of shifting, faintly-luminous fog embedded in her face.

"Sjin, don't make me use this!" Nano snapped, shaking the shape again. Sjin blinked, even as a cold shiver spread down his back.

"What's she got now?"

"This is a poppet with _your blood_ ," she continued, a gloating edge in her voice. "You are in _trouble_ , mate!"

"What?!" Panic bloomed, icy and sharp and Sjin took frantic aim, trying to will the spell to catch, but it slid and slipped against his sudden fear – which seemed _so much_ out of proportion to the actual threat. What could she really do? From what little he knew of sympathetic magic, it was notoriously unreliable unless you were really, really good at it, and this was girl who'd had difficulty using the Squeezer. He didn't – wasn't _really_ worried –

_\- 'You were supposed to be my **friend!** " the shout bounced off the shaking walls, cracks snaking up the brickwork in time to the echoes, as the half-solid shape stepped forwards again and floorboards under her molten feet burst into flame. 'And you **laughed**. You laughed, Sjin!'_

_'I didn't!' He knew the lie was a mistake, knew it even as it left his lips but what else could he say? He'd been so caught up in the moment; so had Sips. It had been almost like old times and he ached for that. If only Nano hadn't tripped; if she'd just dodged and run out as the first detonator went off – like she was **supposed** to – yelling and flustered and hilariously annoyed, in time to watch the building fall, it would have been fine. _

_It was a joke. It was only ever meant to be a joke -_

– wasn't really worried. Not really. Still, he glanced across at Lalna, but the other man looked more amused than anything else.

"Where'd she get your blood, anyway?" he asked, idly, and wiggled his fingers. Opposite them, Nano shook the doll again, and Sjin hoped it was only nerves that made his teeth rattle.

"I've been waiting for you – " she made it halfway through the threat, before a fresh burst of magic caught her hard in the chest, and the rest vanished in a yelp. The poppet dropped from suddenly-spasming fingers and Nano herself clutched at the tree, shaking her head violently and blinking temporarily-blinded eyes. Lalna chuckled.

"I love that spell so much."

"I don’t fear her magic," Sjin insisted, squaring his chin against his partner's smirk. "I’m – I’m a very powerful wizard. What’s she gonna do?"

There was a _crunch_ as Nano dropped out of the tree, still blinking, but she landed well and snatched up the poppet again. Lalna raised his hand and she brandished the doll in reply, curling her fingers tightly around the neck.

"Stop with that stupid spell!"

A horrible thought bloomed and Sjin drove a sudden elbow into Lalna's side.

"Wait – what if she rips my head off?" he hissed. Apparently it wasn't as quiet as he'd intended, because Nano made a triumphant noise.

"Exactly! That's what I'm going to do _right now!_ "

"No!" Sjin squeaked, before he could stop himself. Next to him, Lalna's eyes narrowed.

"Don't. Kill. Him," he said, threateningly, and raised his hand again – as pain suddenly bloomed at Sjin's neck, a tight, burning sensation that was… that was…

…well, it was _unpleasant_ , but it wasn't exactly life-threatening. Nano grunted, twisting harder, but the sensation didn't change, and Sjin probed gingerly at his neck. Lalna blinked.

"What's it doing?" He sounded more amused than worried, which rankled a bit.

"It's… it's like a Chinese burn," Sjin said, slowly, but when describing it didn't lead to any tempting-fate escalations, he shrugged and winked, putting a more mocking bravado into his voice. "My neck's really sore, actually. I could use a massage, could you…?"

Lalna laughed, the sound echoing weirdly with Nano's growl of frustration as she glared down at the poppet.

"Wow, this doll… this doll does _nothing_ ," she grumbled, giving it one final shake. She looked back up sharply as Lalna laughed again, and strange wash of emotions passed across her face, even as the two wizards raised their spells.

" _No_ ," she added, and a twin bright burst of fire suddenly cut in at her back. It took a few moments before Sjin recognised the sound of a personal jet-pack – it was hardly something you expected a _witch_ to be packing – and by then she was gone, contrail already fading as she vanished into the sky. Lalna cursed under his breath and snapped his fist closed, ending the spell. Sjin let out a long breath, although exactly what he was relieved about, he wasn't quite sure.

"She's gone…" He shook himself, trying to focus. "It's – okay. We don’t need her, let just – let's collect some evidence."

Lalna was giving him an odd look, but he couldn't exactly blame him. This was _not_ going as planned.

He just didn't understand quite how badly.

\---


End file.
